Game apparatus



Nov. 9, 1954 G. Q. RIPLEY, JR 2,693,961

' GAME APPARATUS rag/If PROPER TY Nov. 9, 1954 Filed June 14. 1951 G. Q. RIPLEY, JR

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BY MJ JW United States Patent O GAME APPARATUS Glenn Q. Ripley, Jr., East Springfield Township, Erie County, Pa.

Application June 14, 1951, Serial No. 231,451

4 Claims. (Cl. 273-134) Ihis invention relates generally to a game to afford amusement to the players and it relates more particularly to a game board and apparatus and accessories for use therewith designed as being educational and one which requires a certain amount of skill in the players while still being simple and easy to understand.

My game is generally played for amusement by two to six persons at one time. It teaches the players the consequences of chance in life, it teaches them bargaining, and it teaches them timing to perform particular business operations during a normal, inationary, or deationary period. My game teaches a player to encounter various misfortunes or successes and, as in life, acquire additional wealth or losses according to his skill and an element of chance. It teaches them the consequences of inilation and deation. and interest.

It is, accordingly, an object of my invention to provide a game board and apparatus for use therewith which is simple in construction, economical in cost, economical in manufacture, which alfords amusemuent to the players, which is educational, and which may be learned in a minimum of time.

Another object of my invention is to provide a game board land accessories for use therewith, including an hourglass for indicating the time the players have for rolling dice to make any moves on the board, and cards to be drawn by a player upon the completion of a time limit.

Another object of my invention is to provide a game which acquaints the players with the fortunes and misfortunes of life during periods of inflation, deation, and normalcy.

Another object of my invention is to provide a game in which the time for playing may be easily shortened or lengthened as desired.

Other objects of my invention will become evident from the following detailed description, taken in con- It creates suspense `junction with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of the playing board;

Fig. 2 is a consolidated View of the playing pieces for use in conjunction with the board shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational View illustrative of action carlcgls ued in conjunction with the game board shown 1n 1g.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the iniiation or chance cards used in conjunction with the game board shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational View illustrating one of the property cards used in conjunction with the game board shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view illustrative of the money used in conjunction with my novel game.

The game board and accessories for use therewith for my novel game includes a playing board 61 and various playing pieces for use thereon shown in Fig. 2 including an hourglass 62 for timing, playing men or tokens 63 of diierent colors, mail boxes 64 of different colors, and a pair of conventional dice 65. The game board 61 has a continuouspath therearound with divided spaces numbered 1 to 60 inclusive, each space bearing indicia to designate a particular type of property, an opportunity to take a chance or ination card 68 as shown in Fig. 4, or the requirement to pay to help the poor, pay a tax, pay a hospital bill, or spend time in the hospital or collect a given amount of money from the government reprel sentative. The board 61 has diagonally extending paths ICC on opposite sides thereof so that a player may change his path of movement of his token 63 around the board if he so desires.

Action cards 72 shown in Fig. 3 are disposed in the box 71 in the center of the board 61 and are taken by a player at predetermined intervals to determine the rates of property values of the property upon which his token 63 is sitting at the time or the amount of rent to be charged. The action cards 72 are either blue to denote a depression, red to denote an intlation, or White to denote a normal period. Some action cards are colored and only have the rate numeral thereon as shown by the card 72 on the left of Fig. 3 while others have certain indicia thereon and the numerals or some other part of the card will be colored as shown on the card on the right of Fig. 3, the numerals being colored differently.

Property cards 73 shown in Fig. 5 are provided for each type of property, the card 73 illustrated in Fig. 5 being for a gas station. Column 74 denotes the rate which is set forth on the action cards 72. The lower part 77 of the property card is colored blue to designate deflation to correspond to the blue action cards 72, the normal portion 76 of the property cards 73 corresponds to the white action cards 72 designated normal and shown in the center of Fig. 3, and the upper part of the property card 73 is colored red to ydesignate in ilation and to correspond to a red action card '72.

The circular spaces 78 are provided in the center of the game board 61 to place an hourglass 62 thereon. The action cards 72 are disposed in the box I71 face down, the hourglass 62 is seated in one or the other of the spaces 78, the ination cards 68 are disposed in the box 79 face down, and the action cards 72 are placed in the space 80 face up after they have been drawn by a player.

The game board 61 has spaces thereon defining a continuous path numbered one to sixty inclusive. The starting space 1 is designated Go. Spaces 2, 20, 39, and 53 are designated Five and Ten Stores, spaces 3, 9, 18, 27, 31, 42, 45, and 57 are designated as City Property, spaces 4, 16, 26, 50, and 59 are designated as Feed Mills, spaces 5, 19, 28, 41, 48, and 56 are designated as Ination Cards, spaces 6, 15, 32, 36, 44, and 51 are designated as Grocery Stores, spaces 7, 13, 25, 33, 43, and 60 are designated as Gas Stations, spaces 8, 22, 29, 38, and 46 are designated as Soft Drink Manufacturers, spaces 10, 24, 52, and 58 are designated as Appliance Stores, spaces 11, 17, 21, 30, 35, 40, 47, and 54 are designated as Farm Property, and spaces 14, 37, 49, and 55 are designated as Furniture Stores. Space 12 is designated as Help the Poor, space 23 is designated as Income Tax Office and space 34 is designated as Hospital. The above designations are only illustrative.

During the time that a player is throwing the dice, opportunities for trading, selling, leasing, and any of the other business transactions in ordinary life or simulating same are provided by my novel game.

The game apparatus required for playing my novel game comprises the game board 61, an hourglass 62, preferably a conventional three minute hourglass, six men or tokens 63 of different colors, one for each player, for moving around the spaces l to 60 inclusive, when six persons are playing, ninety mail boxes 64 of six different colors, thereby making six sets of fifteen mail boxes each of different colors, each player getting fteen mail boxes of the color corresponding to his token 63, sixty action cards 72 divided into red, white, and blue colors and with rates from l to 5 in the red and blue colors and some with indicia or instructions thereon, fifty chance, fortune, or inflation cards with notations thereon simulating the fortunes and misfortunes of life and designating the payment or receipt of money in accordance with the property rates and color of one of the action cards 72; fifty property cards 73 as shown in Fig. 5 to correspond to property designated in the spaces 2 to 4, 6 to 11, 13 to 18, 20 to 22, 24 to 27, 29 to 33, 35 to 40, 42 to 47, 49 to 55, and 57 to 60 on the game board 61; and six hundred thousand dollars in fanciful money illustrated by the one hundred dollar bill shown in Fig. 6.

otherwise, he musttake the The action cards 72 are red,` white, and blue to correspond with the red, white, and blue sections 75, 76, and 77, respectively, of the property cards 73 and the red and blue colored cards 72 also designate the rate as shown in column 74 of the property card 73. Column 82 on the property cards 73 shows the price of the property in accordance with the rate shown on a red or blue colored action card 72 and in column 74, column 83 on the property cards 73 shows the rent to be paid if the property is occupied by another player in accordance with the rate shown on a red or white colored action card 72 and the rate column 74. The fortune or inflation cards 68 shown in Fig. 4 designate whether a player is to pay out money for an accident or the like, whether he is to receive a rebate from the government, whether he is to pay the government a certain amount of money, or any other fortune or misfortune which he might have in everyday business life. Some of these cards have designated rates and designated red, white, and blue colors to correspond with the property colors and rates on the action cards 72 to determine the amount to be paid or. to be received according to whether it is `a period of ination, deilation, or normalcy. The notations on the action cards 72, the chance or inflation cards 68and the property cards 73 are merely illustrative and it will be evident that many changes may be made while still maintaining the spirit of my invention.

Iny the yplaying ofV my novel game, from two to six players may play4 the game. One person is designated the representative of the government and he handles the money, mail boxes, property, and all of the transactions between players. He is also the official timekeeper of thehourglass. When the hourglass runs out, the timekeeper or government representative says Action or a like word. The person who represents the governmentmay be aplayer in accordance with the desires of the other players of the game. The person representing the government givesueachplayer, a man or token 63 and mail boxes 64 or a like color as needed and a certain sum-.of money, such'aswhen sixl players are playing, the sum usually given each player is ninety thousand ve hundred fifty dollars. The dice are first thrown by each player and the one who obtains the highest number by adding the total onzthe two dice starts the games and places his token 63 on space l designated Go.

The sixty action cards 72 are placed in box 71 designated Action on the board 61. facedown and iifty inilation cards 68 are placed inbox 79 designated Inilation face down. The hourglass 62,is then disposed on one of the spaces 78 designated Hourglass inthe center of the board 61 with the granular material disposed in the upper part of the hourglass. The time to runthe'granular material through, thevhourglass is preferably three minutes. The hourglass 62 begins operating when a player starts throwingfthe dice` 65which starts his token f 63'around the spaces 2 to 60 on-the board 61. from Go.

In-moving around'- the board, if the player'desires to take one of the diagonal paths 70, he must so state by sayingfShortI Cut before hereaches the diagonal path 7G; outside ypath around the game board 61. The dice 65-are thrown by Asuccessive players clockwise around the board 61 until the granular material in the hourglass 62 runs out. The `rst period that the dice 65are thrown is-a normal period, after which the next playerwthen turns the hourglass 62 and takes an action card 72 from the space 71 and this determines whether the players are in a depression ory deationary period if it is blue, in anzinilationary period if it is red, and-in a normal period if it iswhite. The action card 72 is-placed face up inthe box S0. The action card 72 designates how muchv the player'must pay for the lease or purchase of propertyV on which his token 63 is located after a throwof the dice upon inspection of the-property card-73 relating to the particular property. The number showing on the dice-65after a throw designates the number. of spaces the player moves histoken 63 around the board 61. When a token 63 lands on any of the spaces 5, 19,V 28, 4l, 48, or 5'6 designated lnflation Card, the player draws an inflation card 63 from the box 79 in the. center of the board 61 whereupon he pays or receivesmony from the representative of the government ordoes some .other act in accordance with thefshowing on'theinflation card 63; however, when a token 63 lands on spaces-g48 and'56,ian extra one hundred dollars must be paid. The players continue throwing the dice 65 and moving their tokens 63 around the board 61 until the granular material in the hourglass 62 has moved' to the bottom thereof whereupon the representative of the government stops the play. The action card 72 face up in the box 80 determines whether the players are in an inflationary, normal, or dellationary period during the time that the hourglass 62 is operating. The next successive player then draws an action card 72 and he takes Vhis vturn in throwing the dice 65. A player may iinish his turn at the dice at any timeA before the hourglass 62 has run its course in which event he may say l?"inished'orany other appropriate word. yWhen a player says Finished beforey the hour glass 62 runs its course, the next player must immediately throw the dice to .preventaf delay of the game for his own purposes.

If a player plays out of turn, it costs him one thousand dollars payable to each of the other players in thegarne. The player playing out of turn must also return his man to the position where he started from or his initial; position. He must also undo any'ftransactionthat may have been consumated during the illegal turn.

When a double is shown on the dice, the playerkgets another turn. In the event'that the double is double ones'or double sixes, the token 63' is moved' backward on the board 61 instead of forward; however, the player gets another turn for/throwing theV double.

All transactions take place during the time that a player has his turn. He may trade property during his turn of play with the dice. After throwing the dice and completing the transaction, he must say Finished The token 63 must land on vacant property in order for the player to purchase it. If the token 63` lands on vacant property and the player does not buy it, he must pay ten per-cent of the property vrate to-tlie representative of the government. During the turn of'the player, he may sell one piece ofv property to the government representative. Property sold to the government representative is at the present action rate in accordance with the showing of the action card 7'2` face up in theboxv 80 minus ten per-cent: for afair commission..

Property values .are determinedfby the color, rate,.and indicia. shown on the action card 72 facing upwardly in the box 80. Thevalues shown on the action card 72 in thevbox 80 with reference to the property card' 73 prevail until the next action card 72 is drawn.

If atfany time` a player has rent topay orany other payment to bemade and he does nothave enough money to make the payment, he haslost'to inflation and is out of the game. The remaining property Whichfhe has goes back to the government.

lfall of the inflation cards 68varerused .up before the end of the game, the used cardsiare shutledand `they are;placedface down-in the'box'79 and-usedrover again. The game limit is usually at'thezend ofthe drawing, of sixty action cards.72;from .the box 71 onathegamefboard 61. lf a shorter game is: desired,.one cardfrom'each rate,vnamely, lto 5,l in red andiblue, and one normal card is withdrawn. In the event. that'y the game does not go 'to a'time Whenfallofthe actioncardsiare drawn,

4thelast player in the game is therwinner.

At the end of the game limit, the players add up their money and also the. property -values^of.any, property they hold inaccordancetwith the:normahpropertyvrate thereof. The player having the greatest amount .ofmaterial wealth isthe winner. `He hasA shownrthe mostand best skill to survive'depressions, inations; land normal periods.

rThe mail boxes-64 are utilized toplacerin a-:space designating apiece of property to denote theH owner thereof when it is obtained by aplayer.throughbarter or by purchase thereof. lWhenever. a-token 63-lands-on ka property space that is owned byanother ;playerthe tirst player must pay tothe ownery the rentindic'ated; on the propertycard'731-in,accordance-withthe rate and color of the action'card 72'in the-box,80. If'the--owner of theparticularproperty hasrvmore than one of the sametype'of'properties, thewrentindicated is multiplied by the number ofzunitsowned. .The space 12 designated Help the Poor andi spaceV 23. designated' as. Income Tax .Oicef cost the player `theamount .desgnatedherein: corresponding.v to i the property'y rate: action card f 72 inf the. box=Y 80: 1 ltzcosts .the A.player ve- :hundred .I dollars tozgetvhisztokeni ontY of 'the 'hospital space. 34= iffhe wishes to continue the throw of the dice in his turn;

otherwise, he must stay in the hospital space 34 during one, two, or three turns in accordance with the color of the action card 72 in the box 80, this stay corresponding to a hospital stay in actual life. After leaving the hospital space 34, the token 63 must be started in space l without collection of money.

When the token 63 makes a turn of the board 61 and reaches the space 1 designated Go, money is collected as designated therein in accordance with the action card 72 in the box 80.

I have designated the colors red on the action cards 72 to mean danger because of inflation, white to mean normal times, and blue to be discouragement or depression.

Players must play the game in accordance with the colors and indicia shown on the action cards 72 and the money rate designated for each color. All money payable goes to the government representative from the ination cards 68 and also from any board play. All money collectible such as from the ination cards 68 comes from the representative of the government.

The spaces 1 to 60 inclusive are preferably colored differently with similar properties being colored alike. A suitable timing device other than the hourglass 62 and a suitable chance means other than the dice 65 may be utilized without departing from my invention.

It will be evident from the foregoing description that I have provided a novel game board and accessories for use in conjunction therewith which is simple to understand and play, which has great amusement value, which is instructive and educational, one which has a time limit, thereby making players pay attention to the game, and one which is very economical in cost and manufacture.

Various changes may be made in the specific embodiment of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof or from the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A game apparatus, in combination, comprising a game board, markers,` dice, tokens, simulated money, action cards, property cards, and an hourglass, said game board having a continuous path delineated thereon, said path being divided into a plurality of spaces bearing indicia indicating property and over which said tokens are movable and on which said markers are placed to designate ownership of the property by a given player, said tokens being movable along said path, said dice determining the number of spaces said tokens are to be moved by the players over said path, each property space on said path having a property card corresponding thereto, said property cards also showing information to be followed by the players as to sale price, rent, and rate of transaction as is governed or controlled by said action cards during the effective period of each said action card, each said action card having indicia indicating rates of percentage of value which govern the play of all players during the effective period of each said action card, said hourglass controlling the eiective period of each action card.

2. The game apparatus recited in claim l wherein said continuous path has one of said spaces having indicia thereon indicating inflation and wherein ination cards are provided, said inflation cards having indicia thereon requiring the performance of an action by a player, the performance controlling the play of said action cards, said inflation cards being drawn when a token rests on one of said spaces having indicia thereon denoting inflation.

3. The game apparatus recited in claim l wherein said path is in the form of a closed conguration.

4. The game apparatus recited in claim l wherein said path is in the form of a closed configuration and alternate transverse paths have indicia thereon designating property, said transverse paths being joined to said continuous path.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,148,737 Atkins Aug. 3, 1915 1,389,162 Reed Aug. 30, 1921 1,574,394 Holme Feb. 23, 1926 1,617,389 Harrison Feb. 15, 1927 2,026,082 Darrow Dec. 31, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 825,911 France Dec. 16, 1937 

